A Hurting Heart and a Strange Wind
by Woodsballer
Summary: Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata are sent on a mission where they meet a rogue air ninja. Can Hinata finally break down and give Naruto her heart? NarutoXHinata COMPLETE
1. Opening

Naruto:

**Naruto:**

**A Hurting Heart and**

**A Strange Wind**

**Opening**

"You gotta be kidding me!" Naruto screamed at the Hokage. "A simple policing mission?! No way. I ain't doin' it."

Naruto stood between Sakura and Hinata in the Hokage's main chamber. Both of the girls stood silently. Sakura inwardly was begging for Naruto to shut up while all Hinata could think of was being next to him.

"I don't want to hear in, Naruto!" she screamed back. "You three are probably the only ninja available right now, so you three are going." When it looked like he would fight back again, she added, "That's final!"

"So what are we to do on this police mission?" Sakura asked.

"You will travel to a village just outside of the Land of Fire's east border. There's supposedly a lot of activity going on there and we need to see what's going on. If it's nothing too big, then you are to handle it. If you feel the danger is too high, then return and we will send in more experience Chunin."

"Yeah, as if there's anything that I can't handle."

"Zip it, Uzumaki! Or so help me, I'll banish you from every ramen shop in all of Konoha!"

Naruto got very scared and finally stood straight. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good. There won't be a team leader for this mission. Leave as soon as you're ready."

Hinata ran back to the Hyuga district to grab her mission bag. _"Just think. I'll be on another mission with Naruto. Oh, why can't I just come out and tell him? I'll never be able to do that. I'm much too shy."_ She grabbed the bag and headed off for the village entrance. _"Oh well. As long as we're close, I'm happy."_

Naruto stood in front of his room's mirror. "Just think! A mission alone with Sakura! Maybe now she'll see how much stronger I've gotten."

He started to daydream. Sakura was on her knees looking up at him. "Oh, Naruto, you're so strong."

"Yes, I am."

Then the image of Sakura reached out and clobbered him over the head, sending him into the mirror. _Sigh. _"Oh well. No. Can't give up. I'll win her heart for sure!"

"Just think! A whole mission stuck with that idiot Naruto!" she screamed as she stuffed a handful of shuriken into her pouch. "This is going to be the worst mission ever. Oh well. Might as well get it over with."

The trio met up at the village entrance. They immediately set off with barely a word. The sun was high, about 11 o'clock, which meant they had plenty of daylight to travel. With good speed it would take them till the next morning to reach the village.

Naruto, hands behind his head, looked at Sakura who was walking next to him. "So, Sakura, how's your training coming?"

"Good, but hard. Lady Tsunade works you to the bone and then some."

"Hm. I wish I could say the same about the pervy sage. He's always gone, so I don't get any training."

"You must be doing something?"

"Nope. I haven't gotten any special training since that day with Guy and Lee."

"I can't believe you still don't realize that those two weren't Guy and Lee! You're such an idiot, Naruto."

"Oh, come on. Only Guy and Lee are crazy enough to wear those outfits. Either way, I got some training from them and that's all that mattered." He turned back to Hinata, who was a few paces back. "What about you, Hinata? How's your training going?"

"Oh. O…ok, I guess," she answered with a blush.

"You should see her new jutsu," he said back to Sakura. "It's totally awesome!"

Hinata blushed an even deeper red.

"I've been getting pretty good at healing techniques lately. I probably shouldn't say this, but this mission will be a nice chance to try them."

"Don't worry. I'm sure anything at this village will be nothing that the three of us couldn't handle." Naruto gave a punch to the air. "Come on! We won't get there at all at this rate!" Naruto pushed off with his chakra and leapt through the trees.

"Get back here, Naruto! You'll only wear yourself down!" Sakura screamed, giving chase.

Hinata stood for a moment before following. _"Oh, Naruto. You're always so confident and ready to go. I wish I had that type of attitude."_

**A/N: I'm a strange guy. Please Read and Review, but feel free to flame if you feel it is necessary. Criticisms help me improve, so kick the tires and light the fires! See you next week.**


	2. Arrival

Arrival at the Village

**Arrival at the Village**

The group arrived at the village the next morning. It wasn't too dissimilar from the Hidden Leaf Village, minus the mountain heads and Hokage building. A major feature was the large lake situated directly to the north. The far side was barely visible, even from the group's elevated position. Half way across sat a small island.

Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata walked into a bustling street. Shops of bright colors drew attention while restaurants emitted rich aromas. Sakura looked around. "It doesn't look like this place has a security problem."

Suddenly a man burst from a nearby window, clutching a large bag. He took off into a sprint down the road. A woman screamed from inside. "STOP HIM! HE'S STOLEN MY SAVINGS!"

"Looks like you spoke too soon," Naruto said mockingly. "Let's get him."

Naruto and Hinata jumped up onto the buildings on either side of the street while Sakura wove through the crowd with ease. The man was fast, but not nearly fast enough to escape shinobi. Naruto caught up first and formed a cross-ram sign as he ran. "SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!" Three clones poofed into the air and fell towards the thief.

In a quick blur, the man spun and hurled three kunai, each bursting one clone. "Wow. He's fast. Hinata, give him a throw."

"Right." Hinata drew a handful of shuriken and let them fly. With a hop, the man leapt onto the walls and ran along in a low arc over the shuriken and landed without a pause back into his run. "He's too quick."

The cleared the busy street and the man turned into a wide, empty boulevard. Naruto pulled out a kunai to throw when a voice called, "NINJA ART, SOLID WALL JUTSU!"

Suddenly the man stopped as though he ran into a wall and fell onto his back. Naruto gasped and slowed, sliding to a stop right next to the body. "What was that?" Hinata stopped next to him. He looked down the road. There was nothing there. He reached out a hand and felt it touch an invisible barrier. "Wo. What kind of jutsu is this?"

"It's air jutsu." The two turned to the voice. A man in a blue tunic and white robe was crouched on a wall. "It compresses the air into a solid mass." He stood and dropped onto the road. "Thanks for your help, but I've got this petty criminal taken care of." He stooped down and picked up the body, slinging it over his shoulder. "You kids should go back home to your village." Then, as if the weren't there any longer, he turned and strolled back down the street and turned back into the busy market. A few voices could be heard cheering as he walked from view.

"Kids? KIDS?! WHO DOES THIS GUY THINK HE IS?!" Naruto screamed.

Sakura landed beside the others. "That jutsu seemed like that one Sand ninja's," she said, thinking of Temari.

Hinata nodded. "But he didn't have any kind of village symbol."

Naruto continued screaming.

"You think he's a rouge?" Sakura asked.

"I'm not sure," Hinata answered, shaking her head. "Usually even rouge ninja wear their village bands."

"Perhaps we should ask someone about him."

"Yeah," Naruto said, punching the air. "I'm up for anything that gets me closer to that idiot."

They returned to the market. Most of the people were huddled into a group a ways down, almost like a parade. "These people sure do like him," Hinata commented.

"Yes, he is a very brave soul," a woman called from the side of the street. She was sitting just inside a small inn. "You three don't look like you're from here."

Sakura turned and bowed. "No, ma'am. We're Leaf Ninja, here on a mission. Has there been any unrest lately?"

"Not since Fujira arrived last week. Thanks to him, crime has gone down to almost nothing."

"Fujira, huh? Well that guy's nothing but a big showoff!"

"Can it, Naruto!"

The woman laughed. "Perhaps he is. But he still has helped our village tremendously. Is there anything I can help you with? Do you need a place to stay?"

"One moment please." Sakura turned to the others. "I think we should stick around for a few days. Just to make sure everything is cool here." Hinata gave a gentle nod.

"Sure."

Sakura turned back. "We would like two rooms please."

Naruto got a room and Sakura and Hinata got a separate room to share. They couldn't have Naruto in with the girls now, could they? "I'm gonna get to some training," Naruto said as he opened his room. "Let me know if anything happens."

Hinata blushed and nodded.

Sakura opened up their room and they went inside. She dropped her bag and pointed a finger at Hinata. "Ok. Tell me the truth."

Hinata instantly looked at her. "W…what are you talking about?"

"I've seen plenty of times the way you act around Naruto. And the way you act all points to one thing." She leaned in close, a smile on her lips. "You like him."

Hinata gasped, then pulled back a bit and began tapping her fingers, a red hue invading her cheeks. "Uhm…well…"

"Uh huh. I thought so." She put an arm around Hinata's shoulders. "Listen, Naruto's a complete idiot, so unless you spell it out for him, he won't notice a thing."

"But how do I do that?"

"You've got to overcome you shyness. Just come out and say it. I'm sure once you do, everything will go smoothly from there."

Hinata smiled and threw her arms around Sakura. "Thank you, Sakura!"

Sakura smiled and returned the hug. _"Wow. She must really be desperate. But hey, with any luck, she'll get Naruto out of MY hair."_

The group remained in the village for a few days. In that time, Fujira managed to catch seven more would-be criminals. His jutsu set seemed entirely air-based and included the Wind Scythe, his Solid Wall, and one trick he called Mighty Gale, which created an air stream that he could control at will.

With Fujira taking care of the criminals, the Konoha shinobi were allowed to sit back and relax most of the time. Hinata had repeatedly approached Naruto, but every time she would get frightened and run off.

On the day they agreed to depart, Naruto went to Sakura and asked her about Hinata. "Hey, Sakura. Have you noticed Hinata acting kind of strange lately?" He sat cross-legged on her bed while she packed.

Sakura sighed. "You mean she still hasn't told you?"

"Told me what?"

She sighed. "It's not my place to say."

"Oh come on! I won't tell her you told."

"No."

"Come on. You know you want to," Naruto said with an evil grin.

"Zip it!" she said, starting to get annoyed.

"Say it. Say it…"

"SHE'S IN LOVE WITH YOU, YOU KNUCKLE-HEAD!!" She screamed so hard that Naruto fell off the other edge of the bed.

"In love with me? No way. She can't be."

"Look, why do you think she's always so nervous around you? Or why every time you hug her she faints? She's got it in for you, but you're too hard-headed to notice."

"Really?" Naruto thought for a moment. "Now that you mention it, she does act that way. A crush on me? Wow."

A scream broke the pair's attention. They rushed to the window and threw it open. The store from across the street had a window blown out. Fujira stood outside. He looked mad. "I can't believe this place. I spend all my hard work protecting you weaklings and you don't even have the thought to pay me in more than petty meals. You people sicken me." He formed a few quick hand signs and several more windows exploded into shrapnel.

"Hey Fujira!" The man turned. Naruto stood on the street. "What's wrong? Is the honor of doing to right thing not enough for you?"

"Of course not," he said with a smile. With a twitch of the eye, he suddenly leapt into the air.

Sakura, whom had snuck behind him, tried to slam him with a punch. But his sudden movement sent her sprawling where he had been. She rolled and rose to her feet in one swift movement. "Where'd he go?" Naruto stood staring at the sky, so Sakura followed his gaze.

Fujira had gone up into the air and didn't return. He stood floating about twenty-five feet up. The bottoms of his feet were glowing blue.

"H…how's he doing that?"

"Heh. You like it? It's called Air Walking. It's like walking on water, only better. I'm feeling generous today, so I'll just keep the other girl and let you two go."

"What? You've got Hinata?!"

"Where is she?!"

"On my island. But don't bother trying to come get her. I've got wards in place so the only way in is by Air Walking. But then again, I'll make a deal with you. If you can get onto my island by sundown, I might let her go."

"You monster!" Sakura threw a kunai, but it was shot away by a quick gust of wind.

"Pathetic. You have till sundown." Fujira turned towards the lake and ran. His form looked just like one would run of land, only he was suspended in the air.

Sakura and Naruto stood, gazing after him.


	3. Rescue

Rescue

**Rescue**

Naruto glared across the clear, smooth water at the far island. Twice they had attempted to reach it by boat and once by running, but each time they were repulsed by a powerful wind. "We've got to get there somehow. How does he walk on air?"

Sakura sat on the soft sand. "Well, air is actually made up of millions of tiny particles. I guess if you could keep those particles in place long enough, you could walk on them like they were stone. But the amount of chakra control needed to do such a thing is insane."

Naruto clenched his hand into a fist. "No. There's got to be another way."

"The only way in is through the air, and it's way too far to jump. Why don't we go back to the village and get help. Then we can come back."

"By then it will probably be too late. If I can't jump it, I know someone who can." Naruto held his hand to his mouth and broke the skin. Then he ran through a sign set and slammed it into the ground. "SUMMONING JUTSU!" There was a massive burst of smoke. It cleared to reveal a large orange and black toad, standing as tall as Naruto. "Finally. For once I don't get those annoying pipsqueaks."

Sakura stood up. "Naruto, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Not at all. That's why you're staying here." He jumped up onto the beast's back. "I can't leave Hinata out there."

She smiled. "Wow. Are you sure you don't have any feelings for her?"

Naruto was taken aback by the question. Now that he thought, he felt oddly protective for some reason. "Maybe I do. But I'll never know if I leave her to die. Let's go, toad."

The orange creature knelt deep and shoved off of the ground, leaving a small crater. Sakura was almost thrown back from the rush of wind. When she turned back, they were already falling towards the island.

They landed with a loud crash. Naruto leapt to the ground and the toad disappeared in a puff of smoke. "HEY FUJIRA! I'VE GOT A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU!" Nothing answered him. The island wasn't that small. He could probably search it quickly.

Only after a few minutes of tree running, he stumbled upon a lone wooden house. It was pretty inconspicuous, but still, it was the only place here that he could see, so that must have been where Fujira was.

There was no point in being subtle. His big entrance to the island had eliminated that. So he pulled out a bomb tag he borrowed from Sakura and tied it to a kunai. With a leap, he flew out of the woods and into the clearing before the house and let the kunai fly. It struck the door with a bang, blowing the wood to splinters and leaving the door open. Naruto landed in the doorway, a second kunai already in his hand. He gasped when he saw the scene.

Fujira was kneeling in front of Hinata. She had her wrists and ankles bound and her shirt was in tatters, barely covering her. Tears were falling from her eyes. She looked up and saw him in the doorway. "Naruto! You came!"

"Of course I did, Hinata. I couldn't leave you here." She smiled at this.

"Awe, look at the lovebirds," Fujira said with a sneer. "It makes me sick."

Naruto pointed the kunai at the back of Fujira's head. "Hey, I got onto the island. According to your oath, you're letting her go."

"Not quite." Fujira stood, but didn't turn around. "I said I MIGHT let her go. And I've decided not to."

"Why? Why are you doing this? I thought you were the good guy."

"Yeah, and see what it got me? Nothing. I work my butt off cleaning up for these pathetic scumbags and they can't even have the decency to repay me."

"You shouldn't do the right thing to get paid. You should do it because it's the right thing. If anyone is a scumbag here, it's you!" Naruto threw the kunai. Fujira leaned to the side and the kunai passed. "Hinata, NOW!"

Hinata spun and flung her arms out behind her. The kunai flew through, slicing the rope to ribbons, and freed her hands. She quickly whipped out three stars and threw them as Naruto charged.

Fujira was at first caught off guard by the sudden move, but quickly came under control. He quickly crouched again and went through a hand set so fast that Naruto almost missed it. "MIGHTY GALE!"

There was a sudden blast of wind. Naruto was stopped dead in his tracks and thrown back through the doorway. Hinata was thrown back the other direction and into the wall, knocking the wind out of her and leaving her sprawled, but still awake. Naruto hit the ground and rolled to a stop. He pushed up on one elbow.

Fujira was now standing in the doorway. "You pathetic fool. If that's the only reason you're a ninja, then you're sad." Fujira half turned to the room and looked at Hinata. She was starting to stand. His hands flew through a set and held on the bird sign. "EMPTY AIR JUTSU!" Naruto could just see Hinata at the back of the room. Suddenly, she began gasping heavily and repeatedly. She held a hand to her throat and collapsed onto her knees.

"What's going on?"

"The air around your friend's head has become extremely thin, robbing her of needed oxygen." Hinata began to wriggle on the floor. "It's only a matter of time before she dies of suffocation. And each moment is agonizing torture." Hinata's eyes flared. She looked straight out at Naruto, and reach out a hand desperately for him. Naruto seemed frozen on the spot. "The only way to save her is to kill me."

Naruto actually found it in him to smile. "Well, thank goodness that won't be a problem."

"What are you talking about? I am the greatest air ninja around!"

"And yet you fell for the easiest trick." Naruto stepped back into a different stance.

Fujira went to do the same, but couldn't move his legs. He looked down. Two hands had appeared out of the ground and where wrapped around his ankles.

"Now to show off my new move!" Naruto charged, five Shadow Clones appearing alongside him. Two of the bodies leapt up into the air and the rest split and charged in from four angles.

Fujira was helpless. With the clone below him, any movement was impossible. He threw up a guard, but three kicks were more than enough. The hands released and Fujira was released into the air.

Another clone was suddenly rising next to him. It quickly spun, delivering a nasty blow to Fujira's chin and sending him even higher. The true Naruto was waiting fifteen feet up. "ULTIMATE UZUMAKI BARRAGE!" His foot came down hard on Fujira's head with a sickening crack. The blow sent him spiraling downward.

Fujira finally opened his eyes. That was nothing. He could take that a hundred times and still be ok.

There was a sudden rupture from the ground that made Fujira's innards wrench. An orange sleeve flew out of the ground, kunai brandished high. The spiraling body was doomed by lack of maneuverability. His head came down and became speared, knife going up under the jaw.

Naruto landed gently. Fujira's body laid limp, head held up by the kunai stuck in its chin. "Goodbye. I'm sorry."

He ran back into the house. Hinata lay completely still on the floor. He sucked in his breath and went over to her. Gently, she was rolled over and placed in his lap. He reached under her chin and felt her neck. She still had a pulse! But she wasn't breathing.

He moved from under her and placed her head on the floor. He couldn't believe he was doing this. But a part of him deep down actually seemed to urge him on. He pushed that aside and took in a breath. Then, leaning down, he cupped his lips around her's and exhaled.

Air filled Hinata's lungs and her eyes gently fluttered.

He breathed in through his nose and breathed into her again.

She came around slowly. The first thing she felt was something pressed against her lips. Her eyes opened a crack and then shot open. It was Naruto. _"Is Naruto…kissing me?"_ She breathed back into him.

Naruto began to pull away. "Hinata, are you…"

She grabbed his arm and came up to him, meeting his lips in a kiss. All of her thoughts slipped away in the bliss of the simple contact.

Naruto paused, but didn't pull away any further. After a moment, he leaned back in, returning her affection. In that one instant, all the questions he had for her were answered: she cared for him, loved him; and he cared for her in return. And right then, nothing else mattered.

Sakura stood on the sand, looking out over the water. The wind around the island had died three minutes ago. A few other villages had gathered around her, waiting for the young one's return.

A glint of orange coming across the water foretold their arrival. Sakura, with her excellent vision, could see Naruto and Hinata running alongside across the waves. "They're coming!" The villagers cheered. Sakura also smiled when she caught something the others didn't: the two unclasped hands when they got close.

It didn't take long for the two to make landfall. When they had, Naruto addressed the villagers. "You don't have to worry about Fujira messing with you anymore." A few villagers hung their heads. "Hey, don't miss him that much. He wasn't some hero, just a greedy man looking for a buck. You're better off without him."

"But what will we do about the criminals?"

"You all are big enough to take them on yourself. You need to learn to stand up for yourselves."

"Naruto," Sakura whispered harshly. "That's probably not the best thing to say."

"If I can do it, anyone can do it," Hinata said to them all as she stepped forward. "I use to be a weakling as well, but with the help of my friends," she looked back at the others, "I've gotten stronger. And I know the rest of you can do the same."

"Hinata…"

"Yeah! We can do it if we pull together!" The villagers began to cheer themselves on.

Naruto turned to the girls. "I think it's about time we took our leave."

They nodded. Hinata stepped over and took Naruto's hand just before they jumped off.

Sakura smiled. _"About time. Now Naruto will stop pestering me."_ She quickly followed, waving goodbye to the villagers. Another mission successful.

**A/N: And that is how it should be. To anyone who says Naruto should be with Sakura, he's too good for her. So, hit that button and send your Review.**


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